U.S. patent number 4,520,892 [Application Number 06/467,208] was granted by the patent office on 1985-06-04 for two-wheeled vehicle with offset wheel.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha. Invention is credited to Kazuo Satoh.
United States Patent |
4,520,892 |
Satoh |
June 4, 1985 |
Two-wheeled vehicle with offset wheel
Abstract
A two-wheeled vehicle comprising a vehicular body inclusive
structure having the center of gravity thereof deviated in either
transverse direction from the vehicle center line, a steering
system inclusive structure transversely turnably connected with the
vehicular body inclusive structure, and front and rear wheels
supported by the vehicular body and steering system inclusive
structures, respectively. Either one or both of the front and rear
wheels are offset with respect to the vehicle center line, in the
opposite transverse direction and in the same transverse direction
as the center of gravity of the vehicular body inclusive structure,
respectively. In this manner, the vehicle is permitted to travel in
a straight course with a substantially upright position.
Inventors: |
Satoh; Kazuo (Saitama,
JP) |
Assignee: |
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki
Kaisha (Tokyo, JP)
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Family
ID: |
12131163 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/467,208 |
Filed: |
February 17, 1983 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Feb 17, 1982 [JP] |
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57-24181 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
180/219; 180/215;
280/282; 280/288; 280/276; 280/284 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62K
11/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B62K
11/00 (20060101); B62K 011/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;180/227,228,219,215
;280/274,275,281R,283,284,288,276,277,279,282 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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808191 |
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Jul 1951 |
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DE |
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813001 |
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Sep 1951 |
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DE |
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Primary Examiner: Peters, Jr.; Joseph F.
Assistant Examiner: Hill; Mitchell J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Weiner; Irving M. Burt; Pamela
S.
Claims
I claim:
1. A two-wheeled vehicle, comprising:
a vehicular body inclusive structure having the center of gravity
thereof deviated in a first transverse direction from the vehicle
center line;
a steering system inclusive structure which is transversely
turnable and pivotably connected to said vehicular body inclusive
structure;
a rear wheel supported by said vehicular body inclusive structure;
and
a front wheel supported by said steering system inclusive
structure, said front wheel being offset with respect to said
vehicle center line in a second transverse direction, opposite to
said first transverse direction.
2. A two-wheeled vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:
said rear wheel is offset with respect to said vehicle center line
in said first transverse direction.
3. A two-wheeled vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:
said vehicular body inclusive structure includes in the rear
portion thereof a power unit arranged on a lateral side in said
first transverse direction with respect to said vehicle center
line.
4. A two-wheeled vehicle according to claim 2, wherein:
said vehicular body inclusive structure includes in the rear
portion thereof a power unit arranged on a lateral side in said
first transverse direction with respect to said vehicle center
line.
5. A two-wheeled vehicle according to claim 3, wherein:
said power unit supports at the rear part thereof said rear
wheel.
6. A two-wheeled vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:
said steering system inclusive structure comprises a steering
handlebar and a front fork operatively connected with said steering
handlebar, said front fork supporting at the lower part thereof
said front wheel.
7. A two-wheeled vehicle according to claim 2, wherein:
said steering system inclusive structure comprises a steering
handlebar and a front fork operatively connected with said steering
handlebar, said front fork supporting at the lower part thereof
said front wheel.
8. A two-wheeled vehicle according to claim 6, wherein:
said front fork has an axis of turning which is inclined
rearwardly.
9. A two-wheeled vehicle according to claim 8, wherein:
said vehicular body inclusive structure has at the front end
thereof a head tube secured thereto; and
said front fork is turnably provided through said head tube.
10. A two-wheeled vehicle, comprising:
a vehicular body inclusive structure having the center of gravity
thereof deviated in a first transverse direction from the vehicle
center line;
a steering system inclusive structure transversely turnable and
pivotably connected to said vehicular body inclusive structure;
a front wheel supported by said steering system inclusive
structure; and
a rear wheel supported by said vehicular body inclusive structure,
said rear wheel being offset with respect to said vehicle center
line in said first transverse direction.
11. A two-wheeled vehicle according to claim 10, wherein:
said vehicular body inclusive structure includes in the rear
portion thereof a power unit arranged on a lateral side in said
first transverse direction with respect to said vehicle center
line.
12. A two-wheeled vehicle according to claim 10, wherein:
said steering system inclusive structure comprises a steering
handlebar and a front fork operatively connected with said steering
handlebar, said front fork supporting at the lower part thereof
said front wheel.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a two-wheeled vehicle.
More particularly, the invention relates to a two-wheeled vehicle
in which the inclusive structure of the vehicle body has the center
of gravity thereof deviated from the vehicle center line in either
transverse direction.
2. Description of Relevant Art
Two-wheeled vehicles generally comprise a steering system inclusive
structure including a handlebar, a front fork and the like and
provided with a front wheel, and a vehicular body inclusive
structure comprising a vehicle frame, a driver's seat and the like
and provided with a rear wheel. The steering system inclusive
structure is transversely turnable and is pivotably connected with
the vehicular body inclusive structure so as to be capable of
steering operation. The connection of the steering system inclusive
structure relative to the vehicular body inclusive structure is
arranged such that the front fork is vertically inserted through a
head pipe secured to the front end of the vehicle frame, while in
order to secure straight driving operation of the vehicle the head
pipe and the front fork have the axes thereof inclined with respect
to the vertical direction, i.e., the front fork which bears a shaft
of the front wheel at the lower end thereof has a caster angle.
Among the foregoing two-wheeled vehicles, there are those in which
the vehicular body inclusive structure has the position of the
center of gravity thereof deviated in either transverse direction
from the vehicle center line extending longitudinally through the
head pipe. Such deviation of the center of gravity is provided, for
example, in two-wheeled vehicles of a motorized type which are
driven by the power of an engine, in which a power unit including
the engine as a constituent part thereof is arranged on either
lateral side of the rear wheel.
However, if the position of the center of gravity of the vehicular
body inclusive structure is deviated from the vehicle center line,
the vehicular body inclusive structure tends to fall toward the
gravity deviated side. For this reason, it has been proposed to
check such falling by what is referred to as the "cut-in motion" of
the steering system inclusive structure.
Due to the cut-in motion of the steering system inclusive
structure, a twisting force caused by the caster angle acts on the
vehicular body inclusive structure, thus exerting a raise-up action
on the vehicular body inclusive structure such that the position of
the center of gravity is corrected in the transverse direction. In
this manner, the two-wheeled vehicle can be driven while the
dynamic balance thereof is maintained.
As a result, corresponding to the correction of the position of the
center of gravity, the entire two-wheeled vehicle inclines with
respect to the vertical direction, to a slight extent, and with
such inclined position travels in a straight course.
The present invention effectively overcomes the problems
encountered with respect to the foregoing considerations in a
vehicular body inclusive structure which has the center of gravity
thereof deviated from the vehicle center line.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a two-wheeled vehicle comprising a
vehicular body inclusive structure having the center of gravity
thereof deviated in either transverse direction from the vehicle
center line, a steering system inclusive structure which is
transversely turnable and pivotably connected to the vehicular body
inclusive structure, a rear wheel supported by the vehicular body
inclusive structure, and a front wheel supported by the steering
system inclusive structure, the front wheel being offset with
respect to the vehicle center line in the opposite transverse
direction relative to the center of gravity of the vehicular body
inclusive structure.
The invention further provides a two-wheeled vehicle comprising a
vehicular body inclusive structure having the center of gravity
thereof deviated in either transverse direction from the vehicle
center line, a steering system inclusive structure transversely
turnable and pivotably connected to the vehicular body inclusive
structure, a front wheel supported by the steering system inclusive
structure, and a rear wheel supported by the vehicular body
inclusive structure, the rear wheel being offset with respect to
the vehicle center line in the same transverse direction as the
center of gravity of the vehicular body inclusive structure.
An object of the invention is to provide a two-wheeled vehicle in
which a vehicular body inclusive structure has the position of the
center of gravity thereof deviated in either transverse direction
from the vehicle center line, and which is permitted to travel in a
straight course with a substantially upright position.
The above and further objects, features and advantages of the
invention will become apparent from the following detailed
description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, when read
in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side view of a two-wheeled vehicle according to the
present invention.
FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the two-wheeled vehicle of FIG.
1.
FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the two-wheeled vehicle of FIG.
1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, designated by reference numeral 1
is a front wheel of a two-wheeled vehicle. The front wheel 1 is
supported by the lower end of a front fork 3 provided with a front
fender 2, the front fork 3 having at the upper end thereof a
handlebar 4 connected thereto. The front fork 3, the handlebar 4,
and the like, together form a steering system inclusive structure 5
provided with the front wheel 1.
A vehicular body inclusive structure 7 provided with a rear wheel 6
is formed by a vehicle frame 8, a driver's seat 9, a power unit 10
and other members. The power unit 10, which comprises an engine
united with a case incorporating transmission members such as a
chain for transmitting the power of the engine to the rear wheel 6,
is connected by means of a connection member 11 and a damper 12 to
the vehicle frame 8, while supporting at the rear end thereof the
rear wheel 6.
At the front end of the vehicle frame 8 there is secured a head
pipe 13 having the front fork 3 transversely turnably provided
therethrough, i.e., the steering system inclusive structure 5 is
transversely turnable and pivotably connected to the vehicular body
inclusive structure 7 so as to be capable of steering operation.
Moreover, the head pipe 13 and the front fork 3 have the axes
thereof rearwardly inclined, thereby providing the front fork 3
with a caster angle .theta. relative to the horizontal road
surface.
Referring now to FIG. 3, designated at N--N is a vehicle center
line extending longitudinally of the two-wheeled vehicle, thus
passing through the head pipe 13 amd respective positions of
imaginary front and rear wheels 1', 6' when not offset, the vehicle
center line being in accord with the straight advance direction of
the two-wheeled vehicle. The power unit 10 is arranged on either
lateral side of the rear wheel 6 and, therefore, the vehicular body
inclusive structure 7 has the position of the center of gravity
G.sub.1 thereof deviated from the vehicle center line N--N in a
first transverse direction corresponding to the uneven distribution
of the power unit 10.
For this reason, the vehicular body inclusive structure 7 has a
falling moment produced due to the deviation of the center of
gravity G.sub.1 from the vehicle center line N--N in either
transverse direction, i.e., to the left in the present embodiment,
and tends to incline in the same direction.
On the other hand, the front wheel 1 is offset from the vehicle
center line N--N in the opposite or second transverse direction
relative to the position of the center of gravity G.sub.1, i.e., to
the right in the present embodiment, so that an amount of offset
l.sub.1 is established between the front wheel 1 and the vehicle
center line N--N, whereby the steering system inclusive structure 5
has the center of gravity G.sub.2 thereof deviated from the vehicle
center line N--N in the opposite transverse direction relative to
the center of gravity G.sub.1 of the vehicular body inclusive
structure 7, thus setting a moment due to the center of gravity
G.sub.2 against the falling moment of the vehicular body inclusive
structure 7 due to the center of gravity G.sub.1, in order to
secure an upright position of the two-wheeled vehicle.
The occurrence of the falling moment of the vehicular body
inclusive structure 7 due to the deviation of the center of gravity
G.sub.1 from the vehicle center line N--N may be substantially
avoided by offsetting the rear wheel 6. The rear wheel 6 may be
offset from the vehicle center line N--N in the same first
transverse direction as the position of the center of gravity
G.sub.1, i.e., to the left in the present embodiment, so that an
amount of offset l.sub.2 is established between the rear wheel 6
and the vehicle center line N--N, whereby the rear wheel 6 is
brought near to or substantially on a line passing through the
center of gravity G.sub.1 and substantially parallel to the center
line N--N. Thus, the inclination of the two-wheeled vehicle is
rendered to be relatively slight or substantially zero.
The offsetting of the front wheel 1 from the vehicle center line
N--N in the opposite direction relative to the center of gravity
G.sub.1 and that of the rear wheel 6 in the same direction as the
center of gravity G.sub.1 may be provided in combination by
suitably setting the amounts of offset l.sub.1, l.sub.2, or may be
provided separately.
Although there has been described what is considered to be the
preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that
the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without
departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The
present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as
illustrative, and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is
indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing
description.
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